‘Watchdog’ checks police logs, animal shelter

Editor:

Continued from last week...

The log sheets of the Kirkersville Police officers are, to say the least, interesting. It appears as though one of the seven officers issues one citation for about every hour of work. On one occasion, however, an officer worked 3.5 hours and issued six tickets (9 citations total) to six different people. But only two hours were spent on the road. The rest of the time was noted as administrative work at the station. One officer notes that he issued citations in numerical order but, somehow, skips a number (i.e. tickets # 35, 36, 38, 39).

A lot of stops appear to be for license plate lights, tail lights, head lights, loud muffler, etc. as well as window tinting and no front license plate. Of course, there are also many stops for speeding, especially on the freeway and at Keller Road. At least one log noted that the radar was “non certified”; two officers note that they calibrated the radar two hours before clocking in; one officer notes that he calibrated the radar four minutes before getting off duty after working a five hour shift and issuing 10 citations. One officer spent 1 1/2 hours in Pataskala on a mutual aid to assist with a “combative subject at (Pataskala’s) PD.” He spent 10 minutes getting back into town to investigate an alarm drop at the bank.

After reviewing some of these log sheets, I can understand why so many people have complaints. The general public isn’t going to want to drive through a town that appears to be stopping so many people. They’ll avoid the town and that means they’ll avoid the businesses in town.

As I stated before, I have also heard some complaints about the Licking County Animal Shelter (aka dog pound). Several complaints are the same thing that I’ve heard over and over “they don’t take owners cats and dogs anymore...what are we supposed to do?” And, as I have also stated before, current “acting” dog warden John Silva came to Licking County from Cuyahoga County and took our pound a few steps backward by reducing the number of animals he takes and increasing what we have to pay (salaries, dog tags, etc.).

One particular complaint was disturbing and that was a plea on Facebook that asked people to call the Licking County Commissioners to complain about eight week old puppies with mange going untreated at our pound.

The picture showed a puppy that was covered with an oozy, swollen red rash; swollen legs and paws; and looked very pitiful. The puppy (and its 5 siblings) had mange. The puppy died the day after it arrived at a rescue center. The volunteer who posted the picture asked for people to ask the commissioners to “make the change of treating this situation for the animals.”

I contacted John Silva via email and asked for his comments regarding these puppies and why they weren’t seen by a vet. If I were standing in front of Silva, I can imagine him sticking out his hand (as if saying, “talk to the hand”) and telling me he didn’t have time for this discussion. His email wasn’t much different. It said, “See Tina. It is my understanding that the puppies were healthy otherwise, and scheduled for immediate rescue.” It is my belief that Mr. Silva is either unaware of what goes on at the pound or doesn’t care or is just a bad manager! I informed him that those puppies were in the pound for SIX days according to his own records. That is not “immediate” and, according to one vet, a puppy with mange is very serious!

So, Mr. Silva, we want YOU to abide by section 959.131 of the Ohio Revised Code that states: “No person who confines or who is the custodian or caretaker of a companion animal shall negligently... deprive the companion animal of necessary sustenance.” Necessary sustenance, in the case of these puppies, was medical treatment.